Seduced by Ranger Again
by lajlo
Summary: What happens when Stephanie and Morelli take another break. Started as a Babe one shot, but will now eventually end up as a Cupcake. Rated M for Ranger smut, and perhaps eventual Morelli smut.
1. Chapter 1

_Hi All, I hope you enjoy this. It is my first foray into fanfiction. While I am such a Cupcake this song made me think of Ranger. There had been so many commercials for Eli Stone on tv that I popped my old George Michael Faith cd in. I heard A Last Request and had to write my musings down._

_Thanks to Janet Evanovich for such great characters and to George Michael for such a sexy song._

**Seduced by Ranger. Again.**

I had been staring at my computer screen for twenty minutes, not making sense of the words I was seeing. Instead my mind was on Morelli. I broke up with him the night before last. Again. He was trying to talk to me about my job. Again. My last skip had been a doozy. Joe and Ranger had to work together to protect me. Again. In the end, they both had come riding in on their white stallions to save me. Again.

Morelli actually handled the conversation quite well. I could tell he was trying to hold his temper. His hands only flew around a couple of times. He repeatedly told me it was not so much that he hated my job. Rather, it was that he hated the danger I always seemed to find while doing my job. When he suggested I work for RangeMan full time I wasn't sure I was ever going to get my jaw off his living room floor. What the hell was that about? After a quick smirk at my reaction, Morelli explained. "Look Steph, you know I don't like him and that I think he's a little left of center. But I also know he cares about you and will keep you out of dangerous situations. As long as you're in your cubicle at RangeMan doing research you're safe."

This time it was my Italian temper that was out of control. Everyone, especially Joe, knows how much I hate it when he tries to tell me what to do. I think that was why he was so calm during our "conversation". He didn't want me to see it as him ordering me how to live my life. Fat chance. I can't help myself. There are some parts of Morelli's macho Italian make up that I adored. Like how he can make my nipples contract with a single look. Other aspects, like telling me what to do, well I'm not so fond of those aspects. So after some huffing and puffing at him, I went upstairs, gathered some of my things and announced I'm moving out.

Everyone knows well get back together. I know it. Morelli knows it. Lula and Connie know it. Ranger knows it. Well, everyone except my mother, that is. I think deep down even she knows it. She's just afraid that that Morelli might be my last chance for a normal Burg life. She hasn't figured out yet that I'm not a normal Burg woman. I do think it's funny that she believes it takes a man with a gun to tame me. Everyone knows we'll get back together because in the end we truly do love one another. As we have been able to improve our relationship over the past few years, meaning I break up with him less frequently, everyone knows one of these days we'll figure out how to make it work.

I pulled myself back to the present when I realized I could see Ranger's reflection on my monitor. I saw a slow grin, ok, a twitch of his lips, as he said "Earth to Babe." I swiveled around in my chair to face him and answered him with a "Yo."

"Working late tonight, Babe?"

I looked at the clock on my wall. Yikes. It was 7:30. "Not really. I just lost track of time."

"Why don't you come up to the apartment and have dinner with me?" When I hesitated, Ranger told me "I've already asked Ella to prepare dinner for two."

"Pretty sure of yourself, aren't you?"

"With you Babe, never."

We walked into Ranger's apartment and immediately the aroma of a delicious meal hit me. I was kind of hoping Ella had prepared for three people. I hadn't eaten very much since I broke up with Joe and now my appetite was back full force.

Ranger slipped his keys onto the dish on the sideboard. Today's fresh flowers were roses. A smile played at the corners of Ranger's mouth as he cut a look to me. "I see Ella is at work. The roses are for you. Ella likes you and wishes you'd come back and stay with me again."

"And what about you, Ranger? Do you want me to come and stay." Crap! I did it again. I never, ever win when I try to do the flirty thing with Ranger.

A small, gentle smile appeared as Ranger told me "Always. You know you're always welcome here."

The he leaned down and gave me a gentle kiss on my cheek. Then he straightened up, turned around and said "Let's see what's for dinner" as he headed for the kitchen. That was it! No flirting back. No letting me know that I was out of my league when I tried to flirt with him. Just a "Let's see what's for dinner." After turning the radio on softly Ranger entered the kitchen.

I followed Ranger and we found dinner waiting. There was the ever present salad. Thank god, or at least Ella, that wasn't the main course. She had also prepared chicken with rosemary and other herbs. It didn't make up for the missing skin, truly my favorite part of chicken. There was also rice pilaf and fresh green beans. For a healthy meal, it smelled pretty good. And Ella had left us a nice chilled bottle of Pinot Grigio.

Ranger and I discussed our day as we ate our dinner. It was the same old, same old. Ranger had morning meetings at RangeMan. Just before lunch he got a tip that one of his FTAs had been spotted on Stark Street. Swooping in like Batman, Ranger got his man, as always. I didn't tell Ranger that I'd spent the day trying to work while reviewing my life, wondering when I was going to get over reacting to Morelli so drastically.

"So, how long do you think it'll last this time, Babe?"

Huh? How does he do that? "How long what will last?"

"This split from Morelli."

"What makes you so sure I'll go back? And how did you know, anyway? Ugh!! Are you tracking me again?" I asked as I started to go for my pocketbook. Chuckling, Ranger grabbed hold of my arm and held me in my seat.

"The tracker's always there. I never know when I'll have to find you quickly, but that's not how I know. I saw Morelli at the station when I brought in my FTA. He wanted to let me know that this is temporary, that the two of you would be back together again."

"What did you say?"

"I told him I know."

There is nothing more aggravating than the two men in my life discussing, and then agreeing!, which one of them I'll end up with. But like I said, everyone knows that in the end I will be with Morelli.

This, naturally, did not sit well with me. I decided after helping Ranger pick up our dinner dishes I was going home to Rex, the only male that doesn't drive me crazy. Of course, he doesn't drive me crazy in the good way either.

Trying to keep the conversation light until I made my getaway, I asked Ranger about the music on the radio. "I thought you only listened to classical at home? I'm having a hard time reconciling the big bad bounty listening to pop music."

"Babe, like the 500 pound gorilla, the big bad bounty hunter can listen to what ever he wants to." I couldn't miss the teasing glint in his eyes.

From the radio I heard a soothing female voice announce "Coming up after our station identification break, we'll be listening to _A Last Request_ by George Michael." Trying not to smile Ranger asked me "Do you know this one, Babe?" as he backed me against the wall. He leaned in, kissed my cheek, just in front of my ear, then began to whisper into my ear:

_it's late  
time for bed  
so I sit and I wait  
for that gin and tonic  
to go to your head  
_

Ok, I thought, I must be in some alternate universe or something. Batman singing? George Michael? Nooo…. Of course, it is a very sexy song, and Ranger is a very sexy man….I felt his lips curve into a smile as he continued

_  
I know  
it's a devious plan  
but it's the only way that I know  
to get those big bad car keys  
out of your hand  
_

Oh no. He wasn't really singing. He was whispering the words into my ear. I could feel his lips move against my ear as he whispered the words to me, and then I felt his warm breathe on my ear, my neck, mmmmmm.

_  
you know  
that I remain a gentle man  
but even so  
there's only so much  
a gentleman can stand  
sleep with me  
oh sleep with me tonight  
_

And then instrumental on the song began. I love the horn in this song. It is just so damn sexy. I think Ranger thinks so too because he took advantage of the opportunity to start kissing my neck, my ear and my jaw before taking possession of my mouth. Between the kissing and _his_ instrument pressing against me I don't know how I stopped myself from moaning. I think he knew how I was feeling because his shirt front was balled up in my fists as I clung to him, pulling him closer. While he let me plaster myself to him he also pulled his face away from mine, just far enough for me to look into those dark, mesmerizing eyes. We each took in the passion we could see in the other's eyes. Ranger's lips began moving, but no sound was coming from his gorgeous, sensuous lips. He was simply mouthing George Michael's appeal.

_  
my cards are on your table  
my dreams are in your bed  
if I was able  
I'd be there instead_

_sleep with me tonight_

No sooner had my arms begun to move upwards toward his neck then Ranger picked me up in his arms. I heard "Oh, babe…" come out as an uneven sigh as he buried his face in my hair and headed for his bedroom.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

As we entered the bedroom I thought what a lucky woman I am! Not only am I going to spend tonight in Ranger's bed on his bazillion thread count sheets, but he was also going to be in the bed and we probably wouldn't be doing much sleeping.

I expected Ranger to place me on the bed and, I hope I hope, strip his clothes off. He did not do that. Instead Ranger stood me on my feet, his hands remaining on my waist, right where it began to curve into my hips. Ranger looked into my eyes and smiled. It wasn't one of his 2,000 watt smiles, but rather one that simply said "I'm glad we're here." Then he bent his head down and gently kissed my lips. I think it may have been the sweetest kiss Ranger has ever given me. I am used to his kisses possessing me, leaving me speechless, leaving me warm and tingly in special places and _always_ leaving me wanting more. This kiss was different. The gentleness of his lips made me feel treasured. I began to feel that tonight was not just about hot monkey loving. And then it dawned on me. We were acting on feelings! It wasn't just lust, Ranger was actually giving me a little peek into his feelings for me.

I felt Ranger smile against my lips. The next thing I knew I had no shirt on! I don't know how he did that, but I liked it. Ranger's hands were softly running up and down my sides. Then his thumbs were on my bra, rubbing my already erect nipples. Smiling down at me Ranger said "Babe, there's no doubt about how you're feeling." I smiled back at him as I pressed myself against him. "Right back attcha, Babe." That got a chuckle from Ranger. It was so nice to have him laughing with me, not at me, for a change.

I decided while I was pressed up against Ranger that it was time to start untucking his shirt so that I could get my hands on his chest. Hey, why should he be having all the fun, right? Ranger was cooperative, raising his arms so I could take remove the offending material. Then his hands returned to my breasts. Ranger was looking at my bra and I could see a strange smile playing at the corners of his mouth. I wasn't sure what that was about until I looked down at myself. I was just in time to see (okay, I felt it too) Ranger's hands press my breasts together and the front closure on my bra popped open. How'd he do that? My jaw was hanging open as I looked back up to him. Ranger simply shrugged and told me "I've had practice." That got a major eye roll from me. Then I got distracted as Ranger slid my bra off, our bare chests touching.

Ranger slid his hands back down my sides until he reached the top of my pants, where he hooked his thumbs into my waistband. After a light kiss on my lips he stood back so he could watch himself unbutton, then unzip my pants. As the front of my pants fell open I saw a trace of the wolf grin, then felt his thumb softly caressing the top of my black lace panties. I think these will stay on for a little while he murmured, almost to himself, as he slid my pants down over my hips. Thank God I was wearing shoes I could kick off so we could get those damn pants off me! And there I was, naked except for my pretty little panties in front of Ranger. His eyes darkened as they traveled down my body.

And then I noticed something. The only thing Ranger was missing was his shirt. Not only was it not fair that he got to see me naked while he was still clothed, but also I knew there was no way I was going to get him inside of me while he still had pants on. And I really, really wanted him inside of me. That patch of dark hair that began on his lower abdomen and disappeared under his pants was really driving me crazy.

I knelt down in front of Ranger and began to unlace his boots. "Babe, I don't want you at my feet, taking my shoes off." I told him that it was ok, that I wanted touch every part of him, that I was being attentive, not demeaned. He nodded. Once they were unlaced I removed them and Ranger's socks. I took advantage of my position to run my hands up his legs. There is something about strong, muscular legs that drives me wild. From the change in Ranger's breathing I realized it was driving him wild too.

And then I became really brazen, my inner hussy coming to the surface. I leaned forward and placed my lips against the bulge in Ranger's cargos. As Ranger moaned I remembered "commando!" The idea that Ranger doesn't wear underwear undid me, as I undid his pants. It seemed extremely urgent that I get that button undone and that zipper down five minutes ago. It wasn't an easy task either, between my impatient hands and the size of the bulge under the zipper. Finally, his pants were undone! I slid them down his hips, his legs. I wasn't really paying attention to how he got them off. I was too distracted kissing his inner thighs. I gently placed my fingers on him so that he would not move as my lips moved closer to him. I wasn't prepared for the reaction I got when I ran my tongue up the whole length of him: "That's it, Babe. I can't take anymore." Ranger leaned down, picked me up and carried me to his bed.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's Note: I am sorry for the disappointment some of the Cupcakes are feeling

_**Author's Note:**__I am sorry for the disappointment some of the Cupcakes are feeling. It was initially only going to be a one shot, as Iintimated in Capter1. As people seemed to like it, I decided to continue and there was Chapter2. Ultimately, I think this will be a Cupcake story, but it will take some time (and chapters) before that happens._

_If you're a Cupcake and you didn't like 1 and 2 you probably don't want to read this chapter._

**Chapter 3**

It only took Ranger two steps to reach his bed. He laid me down gently and slid himself onto the bed next to me. Thirty seconds ago neither one of us was willing to wait any longer but now that we were laying together everything had a whole new perspective. Lying next to me, Ranger was able to place his leg over both of mine. I was able to slide my leg between his. Our exploring while standing had been HOT! Now, those explorations were erotic, a slow seduction.

Ranger placed his hand on my hip and slid it up my side until he reached my breast. Using his thumb he slowly stroked my nipple, making it react to even the softest touch. Then my nipple was in his mouth. That undid me. My hips began to push closer to his in a rhythm that left no doubt about my intentions. As Ranger's lips moved upwards toward my neck he repositioned himself so that he was hovering over me. Ranger lifted his head and looked me in the eyes. The desire I saw there was overwhelming. "You're sure about this, Babe?" As I nodded yes I felt Ranger press himself against me. I smiled as I thought about the fact that I was almost to the Promised Land. Then I realized it was not as close as I thought, that I still had on those damn black lace panties. I reached down to take them off, but Ranger stilled my hands. "Not yet, Babe." And then I thought about it. The only thing between me and a Ranger induced orgasm was a flimsy little piece of black lace. The more I thought about it the more turned on I became and the more I pressed myself against Ranger. The more I pressed myself against Ranger's hardness the more ragged his breathing became. He continued to kiss my neck, my jaw, my ear. I could hear in his breathing how hard he was trying to maintain control. I could feel his warm breath on my ear as he whispered "Your panties are wet." I could only nod my head. I wanted to tell him "Duh! Look at what you've been doing to me! Of course they're wet." But no words would come.

After a deep, probing, tongue wrestling kind of kiss Ranger returned his lips to my ear and moved down my neck to my collarbone, my breast and my abdomen. Then he kissed my belly button. Unfortunately I'm so ticklish that move didn't get the desired response. But Ranger has so many great moves that I quickly got over that one. Next he was dropping kisses down my hipbone. Thank God he's finally at my panties! Now get them off! But as always, Ranger has his own plans. He began kissing me through my panties. Oooohhhh, and there was his tongue. His tongue was pressing the lace against me in the most tantalizing way. As my hands found their way down to his head, grabbing handfuls of his gorgeous hair Ranger moaned against me. His hands slid up my thighs, under the sides of my panties and the next thing I knew they were gone.

And then he was in me. It was such a smooth, fluid move that Ranger was inside me before I knew that it was time. Stealth Ranger. He had moved us so that his forearms were under my back and his hands cradled my head. Ranger looked me in the eyes as he began to pull back his hips and slowly thrust them toward me. Ranger set a slow, seductive pace. It was mesmerizing. And it started to drive me toward the brink. Of their own accord my hips began to push forward to meet Ranger's thrusts. I think that was the moment, for both of us, when intimacy turned to lust. I _needed_ to have an orgasm, right at that moment, and I sensed that Ranger did too. I let go of the last of any inhibitions I was feeling and allowed sensation to take over my body. My orgasm came quickly. Ranger slowed and then stopped his thrusts. He laid on me, still inside me, his forehead leaning on the side of my neck. "Oh God, Babe. I can feel you squeezing me." I let out a big, satisfied sigh and leaned down to kiss his cheek.

We lay together like that for quite sometime. It took me a while get my breathing back to normal, which was quite an accomplishment considering Ranger was inside me. Ranger had not moved very much, other than to make sure that I was comfortable. In the midst of my post orgasmic contentment I began to feel Ranger move slightly, just a little back and forth. Hmmm….it hadn't occurred to me that he might not have orgasmed. His movements began to deepen and quicken. It seemed no time before his thrusts once again had me moaning and saying his name. His face remained by my neck, but as his pace became more urgent he buried his face in the crook between my neck and breastbone. And then came the thrusts that told me he was filling me. The combination of the thrusts and idea of Ranger's love juices in me brought me to another orgasm.

This time we both lay panting, trying to catch our breath. After a few moments Ranger wrapped his arms around me and rolled us over, so that I was now lying on top of him. Ranger asked if it was ok to stay inside of me for a little while longer. I nodded yes and drifted off to sleep.


	4. Chapter 4

I was slowly becoming aware. I felt so relaxed, so good, so…oh my god! I had sex with Batman last night! So that shower I could hear running was probably Ranger. Oh crap. What a great night it was, but now what? Maybe if I close my eyes and just think about how comfortable this bed is I will go back to sleep and won't have to think about it for a little while longer. Yep. That's right. Avoidance, my second favorite coping mechanism. As I was in Ranger's bed without any clothes on I was pretty sure denial wasn't going to work this time.

Oh great! The shower's been turned off. C'mon Steph, squeeze those eyes shut, you can go back to sleep, I know you can do it. "Babe, you're looking constipated there. You OK?" So avoidance wasn't going to work either. I opened my eyes to see Ranger standing next to the bed, his ivory towel tied low on his hips. Shit. He looked so sexy, just Ranger and his towel. He sat down on the bed next to me and leaned over to give me a kiss on the forehead. "I have an early meeting this morning. I've already called Ella and she'll be bringing breakfast up in about five minutes. I'm going to get dressed, have a quick bite to eat and get downstairs for my meeting. Take your time getting up. There are clothes for you in my closest." I raised an eyebrow at that. A smile tugged at Ranger's mouth as he said "I told you, Ella likes it when you're here. She always makes sure that there a couple of changes of clothes for you, just in case you stay over." I blushed at the thought of Ella planning for my staying overnight at Ranger's. This got me a full smile and a shake of the head. Ranger leaned over again, whispered "see you downstairs" in my ear and gave me a quick kiss.

I stayed in bed until Ranger was ready to go. I didn't want to get in his way. Well, that and the fact that I didn't want to deal with any leftover sexual feelings. I know I'm a chickenshit about men, well, at least about Ranger and Morelli, but I don't know what I was being a chicken about this morning. After all, we had already done the deed, a couple of times. So what was wrong with me now?

After I heard the front door close I got out of bed and headed for breakfast. I decided to eat first hoping that the concoction of Bulgari and testosterone that Ranger left in the shower would wear off. The tray Ella left offered fresh fruit, bagels and something else under its own covered dish. When I lifted the cover I discovered a big bowl of Frosted Flakes with a little sticky note that said "Just between us. E." I just love Ella. I went to the fridge, got some milk and enjoyed my frosted flakes. Then I had some of the fresh fruit, to try to be healthy. Then the bagels looked sad, like I had been avoiding or rejecting them, so I toasted one of them and smothered it with cream cheese.

I realized there was no way to avoid the shower any longer if I wanted to get to work. Besides, I wanted my pants to still fit me and if I kept eating that wasn't going to happen. I entered the bathroom. No luck. The masculinity and Bulgari were overwhelming. I gave myself a pep talk. "OK Steph, you can do this, quick in, quick out. Wash your hair, your body and rinse. Then run out of there as fast as you can." Yeesh. I was going to have to think about all this avoidance. I just slept with the guy and now I'm trying to avoid his, his _essence_? It wasn't adding up, but it was time to get ready for work, not try to sort out the wacky feelings I have that control my life.

I was able to take my shower quickly. I almost failed when it came time to use the Bulgari body wash. I felt my self relaxing and drifting. Focus! I told myself. I did the only thing any normal woman would do under similar circumstances. I held my breath and tried to block any scent from entering my nostrils. If anyone saw me running from the bathroom they would have thought I was being chased by the devil himself.

In Ranger's changing room I found a small stash of woman's clothing. It was all in my size, so I guess Ranger wasn't lying when he said Ella kept clothes for me. There were two sets of black pants, a black v-neck t-shirt and a black crew neck tee with the Rangeman logo on them, black socks, and even black panties. Egads! Even the panties had the logo on them. Yikes. There was also a pair of Docs in my size, but I decided to wear the boots I had worn yesterday.

By the time I dressed my hair was almost dry. I pulled it back into a quick ponytail. I rummaged through my bag looking for my mascara. When I finally found it I used a decorative mirror in the living area to apply it. There was no way I was going back into that bathroom. I swiped on my mascara, looked at my reflection and then swiped some more on.

I looked in the mirror again and decided anymore mascara and I was going to look like a drag queen. Speaking of drag queens, I wonder how Sally is? I should call him sometime. Maybe I'll do it now. Then this mean little voice in my head started saying "Stephanie, Stephanie, Stephanie. The time for procrastination is over. You slept with Ranger and now it is time to face the boss." Stupid voice. I shrugged and gave in, knowing waiting wasn't going to make it any easier. I looked around the apartment to make sure I had all my stuff, walked to the door and exited the apartment. Pushing the elevator button I wondered what was waiting for me on the fifth floor.


	5. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

As I waited for the elevator I nervously paced back and forth in front of the elevator door. At the same time I gave myself a mental head slap the "Ding" announcing the elevator's arrival sounded. I smiled smugly to myself during my quick two floor ride down. Going into the Rangeman offices was going to be a piece of cake compared to going to the bonds office after I had sex. I still don't know how they always knew when I got laid, but Lula and Connie were never shy about asking who, what, where, when and how many times. Even that pervert Vinnie seemed to sense when I had sex. Well, there was no way the Merry Men were going to know. After all, they're guys. Unless they were involved in said sexual activity themselves they probably didn't care. And it's not like Ranger would have told them. Right? _Right?_

The elevator doors opened and I stepped out. First I heard Lester saying "Good Morning Stephanie" in a singsong voice. Then I passed Tank in the hall. I heard his deep "Morning, Steph", but he didn't look me in the eye like he usually does. Then walking down the hall to my office I met up with Bobby who was leaning against his door jamb. He smiled at me and winked as he said "Good Morning, Beautiful."

I walked into my office with my chin hanging down. I couldn't believe it. Ranger told them! I was getting angrier by the minute, imagining him putting it as an agenda item for their morning meeting. _"And lastly, I'd like to announce that I finally boinked Stephanie again. Hal, it looks like you won this pool."_ My blood was boiling. Yeesh, I hadn't even had a chance to call Mary Lou yet. And men say that women are gossips! They should look in the mirror sometime!

I tried hard to contain myself, but I couldn't. I wanted to confront Ranger and find out what exactly he had told his men. I stomped down the hall to his office, not caring who saw or what they thought. When I arrived at Ranger's office his door was closed. I had a clear view of him through the window. There was a very serious, uneasy look on his face. I could only see his profile, but I could tell he was on the phone. My anger turned to concern. Ranger usually kept his blank face on at work. The fact that I could see he was troubled worried me. I turned around and went back to my office. I sat there looking at the computer screen for a few minutes, unable to focus on the search I was currently working on.

I was yanked out of my reverie by my ringing phone. I could see it was Ranger calling, so I answered with a "Yo." "Babe. Can you come down to my office?" There was no hint of what was going on in Ranger's voice. I told him I'd be right there.

When I walked in Ranger stood from his seat and came around to the front of the desk. He leaned back against the desk, half sitting on it and crossed his arms across his chest. "Babe, you wanted to see me?"

"Well, I, uh…"

"Babe, a few minutes ago you looked like you were on a mission and nobody better get in your way."

"Yeah, I guess I was. But when I saw how serious you were on your call I figured it could wait."

"Why don't you tell me now what's on your mind?" Ranger asked.

"Don't you have more important Rangeman business to take care of?"

I could see Ranger trying not to smile as he said "I won't know until you tell me what's going on, Babe."

"Well, the truth is I can't believe you told the guys about last night."

With a raised eyebrow Ranger asked "What makes you think I told anyone about last night? Babe, you know how private I am about my personal life."

I relayed my encounters with Lester, Tank and Bobby.

This actually got an almost smile from Ranger, and a "Babe" as he shook his head. "Did you think there may have been other ways they could have found out?" Now I shook my head. "For starters, Big Blue never left the garage last night. While that car is obvious where ever it is, when it's in my garage surrounded by my all black fleet it stands out like a sore thumb"

"Oh. Yeah…"

Cal was on monitor duty last night. He probably couldn't keep it to himself that he saw you go up to the seventh floor last night and that you never came down."

I was beginning to blush.

And then there's fact that Lester probably watched you leave my apartment and take the elevator down a few minutes ago."

Crap. I got myself worked into a frenzy over nothing. "Sorry Ranger. I should have known better."

Ranger just continued looking at me. "So do we have that resolved, Babe?"

I nodded. "Good, because there are a couple of things I need to discuss with you." Ranger had his serious look back on.

Gulp.


	6. Chapter 6

Ranger just continued looking at me

_Ranger just continued looking at me. "So do we have that resolved, Babe?"_

_I nodded. "Good, because there are a couple of things I need to discuss with you." Ranger had his serious look back on._

_Gulp_

**Chapter 6**

"I was on the phone with the Miami office when you came by before. There's been a breach in security there. We think it's an inside job." Ranger had his blank face on again. I could tell he was angry though, as his voice was eerily calm.

"I'm going to have to go down there, Babe. I'm worried about leaving you."

This totally surprised me. OK, it pissed me off a little, too. I mean, what was he thinking? Now that he had given me a few mind blowing, heart stopping orgasms I couldn't take care of myself? Everyone knows that is so not the way to deal with me. Under the circumstances I decided it was safer to pursue the surprised part. I never win when I challenge Ranger, and who knows what he might do to prove his point, whatever it may be.

So I simply asked him why he was worried about me.

"I didn't say I'm worried about you, I said I'm worried about leaving you." Ranger waited long enough for me to give the eye roll that he knew was coming before he continued. When my eyes returned to his face I saw a small smile and what looked like genuine affection. "Last night was great and I hope we share many more nights like that."

"Buuuutttt….??" I asked.

"But I have to go to Miami to deal with this."

"Geez, Ranger, that's it? You have to go to Miami? That's what has you worried about me? Oh yeah, I meaning _'about leaving' _me."

"I must say you're taking this better than I thought you would. I expected you tie it in with the fact that my life does not lend itself to relationships. I thought you might think I was leaving _you_, not that I was going to Miami."

I looked at Ranger, considering what he was saying. "Hmmm, I hadn't thought about it that way yet."

I was interrupted by Ranger's laughter as he said "Oh good. Now I'm suggesting reasons for you to get pissed at me." Seeing the humor in the statement I laughed with him. "But seriously, Stephanie, I have no idea long I'll be gone. Like I said, we suspect it might be an inside job. Some of the properties that we are responsible for have recently been compromised. It looks like a small glitch in security is being arranged and during that very short window of opportunity burglaries are happening. The thieves appear to know what the want and exactly where on the property it is. We've recently hired a handful of new people, mostly in IT."

"Oh Ranger, I'm so sorry. I know how careful you are when hiring people. It seems like everyone I've met at Rangeman was a Ranger with you. I can't imagine any of them betraying you like that."

Ranger answered "The business has gotten big enough that I've had to begin hiring outside my group of army buddies. I give priority to guys who have references from my current employees. Someone else here is going to be pretty upset too, having gone out on a limb to give a reference to someone who clearly duped him."

"My presence in Miami will be kept quiet. We don't want to tip anyone off that we know there's a problem. You know, Tank will know, but everyone else will think I'm in the wind." Ranger continued that "At some point I'll get in touch with Julie and her mother. I'd like to spend some time with her while I'm down there."

I nodded while listening, understanding the importance of resolving this issue. Ranger eyes had never left mine. "You could come with me, Babe."

My eyebrows shot up as I sputtered "What? Who? Me?"

Ranger was trying not to smile, make that laugh, at me. "Yes Babe, you. I like having you around. I'm sure there'll be work you could do there so you won't get bored." Ranger gave a little smile and said "Julie would love to see you too. Her mother says you're still a primary topic of conversation at home. Close your mouth, Babe. Julie thinks you're very, very cool."

Well, if I had any reservations about going, which I did, that sealed the deal. There was no way I was going to go spend time with Julie. I mean, Batgirl thinks I'm cool! How excellent is that! There is no way I'm going to risk her finding out what a dork I really am.

Plus, there were the bigger issues. Last night's sex was amazing. But I wasn't feeling great about the fact that I'd slept with Ranger. I justified it in my mind by thinking maybe this will get him out of my system, and me out of his. I knew however that it was raw lust. And it felt wrong. Technically, Joe and I weren't together so it wasn't really cheating. But it sure felt like that. The morning had been too busy to think too much about Morelli, but when I did I felt crappy about what happened with Ranger. And each time Joe entered my mind I told myself I had to wait until later in the day when I had enough time and brain power to deal with this conundrum.

"Babe?"

"I think I should stay here, Ranger."

He nodded. "You'll be able to get me on my cell. If you change your mind, or even want to come for a visit, let me know. And remember, you and Tank are the only ones in Trenton who know where I am. Everyone else thinks I'm in the wind."

"When do you leave?"

"My flight leaves in two hours."

I nodded and stood. "OK. I'm sorry this is happening. I'm sure you have a lot to do before you go. I hope you get it resolved quickly." Before I could turn to leave Ranger grabbed my arm and pulled me hard against him, so that I was standing between his legs. God I love it when he does that. He leaned down and gave me a bone melting kiss. I think I whimpered when he snuck his tongue into my mouth to touch my tongue.

"I'll keep in touch Babe."


	7. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

Once again I was back at my computer, staring at the screen while pretending to get work done. There was so much going on in my head that I was having a tough time focusing on the searches. I smiled to myself as I imagined Ranger telling me "Babe, I can smell something burning. Those wheels must be moving awfully fast."

Ranger had left a couple of hours ago without saying anything else. I guess that was ok. Really, what else was there to say to one another at this time. I knew I was welcome to join him. He knew I didn't want to. Yet.

I felt my phone vibrate in my pocket. I had turned the ringer off. I just didn't want to put anything else on my plate today. My Mom had probably heard by now about Morelli and me. Grandma might want a ride to a viewing. Vinnie might be looking for me to track down a skip. And Lula and Connie were probably just plain looking for me. Them I could not face. Not right now. Those two would be on me like a dog on a bone wanting to know what was going on with Morelli, what was going on with Batman. How could I tell them when I did not know myself. So I took a little trip to Denial World and didn't answer my phone

I looked at the phone. It had been Joe who called and he left a message. I figured I might as well get it over with and see what he had to say. It was a simple message, "Hi Cupcake. I just wanted to let you know I miss you and I'm thinking about you." My eyes narrowed as I looked at the phone. What kind of game was this he was trying to play? Deciding again I didn't want anymore on my plate I dismissed the message.

I was surprised when Tank came into my office. He quietly told me "I just spoke with Ranger. He has set up a command post in one of the hotels there so that no one is tipped off that he's in town. He's got Zip with him. Ranger asked me to make sure that you know that you can stay on seven if you want to." Hmmm, not to mention he knew what I'd be up to as long as I remained at Rangeman.

When I arrived on the seventh floor I used my key to enter Ranger's apartment. It felt weird coming here without Ranger being here, after last night. My first experience here had been when I was hiding out from the Slayers. Ranger was in the wind so I thought it was the perfect hiding place. Little did I know, although I should have, how well monitored this place is. Rangemen knew when I approached the building, never mind when I was actually staying here.

Then there was last night. Even though the Merry Men knew I stayed here last night, what happened behind closed doors remained private and personal. Now, here I was entering this place which had become almost like a cocoon, safe and secure, and I knew they Merry Men were watching. I tried to act non-chalant as I let myself in. I closed the door and leaned against it, exhaling breath which I had not even known I was holding. I looked up and across from me was the wall Ranger had pressed me against as he seduced me last night, the wall where I allowed him to seduce me. It brought a rush of emotions, not to mention a rush straight to my doodah. I closed my eyes, remembering to slow seduction. When I opened my eyes again all I saw was an empty wall. Shaking my head I headed for the bedroom. Actually, it was the walk-in in the bedroom I was headed for. I'm sure Ella had already laundered, ironed and replaced my clothing in the walk-in. Man, I wish I were as efficient as she is. Then again, maybe not. Then people expect you to do things.

Anyway, I entered the bedroom and stopped dead in my tracks, the sharp intake of breath I heard had apparently come from me. As expected, Ella had already been there and done her thing. What I hadn't expected was the effect it would have on me. I walked over to the bed and sat down on the edge. All of a sudden I realized I had tears running down my face. I wasn't exactly crying, but my face sure was wet.

Ok, Steph, time to pull yourself together and figure out what these tears were about. I mean, it's not like what happened last night was unexpected. That it happened last night was not planned, but I've known for a long time that I love two men. That I should sleep with Ranger when I wasn't with Joe was probably going to happen again at some point. And I knew he cared about me too. He had his whole "no relationships" thing going on, but somehow I knew he cared more about me than just as a sex partner. And I don't think he was involved with anyone else. The guys wouldn't put up with that.

So, the sex last night was great. Some of it was pretty primal. Other parts were so affectionate and caring. It was a night of Ranger induced orgasms that were out of this world. I looked around the room, trying to see what I was missing, what felt so off. And then it hit me, like a ton of bricks. ME! That's what was missing. Looking around the room there was not the least bit of evidence of the loving, passionate night I had just spent with Batman. Ranger's apartment never had tchotchkes around to personalize his apartment. It could have belonged to any alpha male. But I thought there would be _some_ sort of evidence of our night together, a rumpled bedspread, a pair of panties partially hidden under the bed, something that would show that I had somehow invaded this fortress.

As it was, there were no signs saying "Stephanie was here". I shook my head, trying to clear it. I walked into the bathroom to splash some cold water on my face and add a quick swipe of mascara to bolster my self confidence when I faced to cameras. I went to the walk-in, retrieved my clothes and left the apartment. I rode down to the garage thinking about Boston Creams. As the doors opened I gave the guys in the control room I little finger wave bye and headed for home.


	8. Chapter 8

_Author's Note: I would like to thank everyone who has reviewed this story. I thought I had replied individually to all of you, but just today saw that you have to respond through a link in the e-mail. So now I am unsure if I thanked any of you. Many "thank you"s to the reviewers, past and present._

_**Three weeks later.**_

It has just been one of those days. I hate those days; the ones that may you take notice of what is happening in your life, making you wonder "What am I doing with my life?" I missed catching a skip. And although I hate to admit it, I am also missing the two loves of my life. One of the reasons I hate to admit it is because I am the one who asked Morelli to give me some time. It was just fortuitous that Ranger had to leave Trenton at the same time. This is allowing me some time to assess and make decisions about my love life. Yeah, right, like that is working.

I haven't told Ranger that I'm going through this soul searching. Of course, that doesn't mean he doesn't know. After all he is Batman. I wonder if his ESP can work long distance, all the way from Miami? He calls me a 2-3 times a week to check in with me, to see how I am doing. I must admit, it makes me smile every time he asks if I'm ready to join him in Miami. He's incorrigible, that one. My sense is that it is his way of letting me know that our night together wasn't going to be like the last time, that he wasn't going to send me back to Morelli.

Joe's been good too. After our most recent break up, I told him I needed some time and space. He agreed but asked if he could call every few days just to say hi and let me know that he's thinking of me. I told him it would be ok on a couple of conditions. The first was that he wouldn't badger me to see him, to get over whatever I am going through or to get together for the horizontal mambo. The second condition was that he wouldn't get angry when I didn't answer those calls. Talking to him, rather than listening to a message, may not help my thinking time at all. Joe agreed. He has been surprisingly compliant. He hasn't even mentioned Bob or the boys missing me. He always says "_I _miss you, Cupcake."

No, Joe hasn't been badgering me at all. He doesn't need to. My mother takes care of that for him. Every Friday night I get questioned about what I am doing. I get told how great "Joseph" is, what a catch he is and how much he loves me. Of course, at some point Grandma Mazur pipes in that it probably has something to do with "that bounty hunter with the great package. When I was staying with Stephanie he used to come visit her in the middle of the night. One time I saw him lying on top of Stephanie. She said he was teaching her a self defense move, but I didn't just fall off the turnip truck, you know." That's when my mother gets up, goes into the kitchen and we hear the pantry door open. My father just grunts and focuses even more intently on his dinner.

And then there was my skip from today. He's low bond, but I need the money. The peanut butter jar is getting low. His name is Stanley Pachucki. He's been writing bad checks all over town and somebody finally decided to prosecute him. I went to school with his grand daughter, Annie. I remember Mr. Pachucki from those high school years. I remember him as being 'burg approved. He had a nice house, kept his yard very nice, never got into any trouble and loved his family. It was hard to picture him as a "criminal." My fact sheet from Connie said that his wife had died nine months ago. Actually, I remember when she passed. I took Grandma Mazur to the wake. Fortunately, it was an open casket so we had no mishaps with her trying to get a peek. My file said that he was driving a 1997 Lincoln Continental. I couldn't help rolling my eyes at thought of Mr. Pachucki trying to see over the dash board.

I thought today would be my lucky day and I'd catch Mr. Pachucki. You see, today is Thursday and Thursday is the most popular early bird special "night" at the area's newest restaurant, The Neon Parsnip. I've heard that the restaurant has quite an eclectic menu and that at nighttime plenty of hipsters can be found there. Ah, but from 4-6 it is the place to be for the seniors. According to Grandma Mazur their early bird specials couldn't be beat. She told me some of her friends go early so they can visit the bar and have their weekly Manhattan. Yuck.

I found a great parking place across the street and was able to see the coming and goings of the blue hair crowd. I saw a few of Grandma's friends pull into the parking lot. Finally, at 4:35 I saw the Lincoln pulling in. It would have been hard to miss. It's not everyday you see a red car that big that looks like no one is driving it.

I quickly started my car up and drove into the parking lot. I didn't want Mr. P to have to walk too far. I wasn't sure what kind of shape he was in. Well, that and I wasn't sure if I was in good enough shape to force him to walk across the street if he resisted. What am I talking about? He's not going to resist me. He's known me since I was a kid.

Unfortunately, by the time I parked Mr. Pachucki had already entered the restaurant. So much for talking to him in the parking lot and potentially saving us both some embarrassment. Being my first time in the Parsnip I wanted to check it out, just in case the take down went bad and I was never allowed in the place again. I have to admit that even under the bright glare of the fluorescent lights the seniors needed to read their menus it looked like it could be a lot of fun there.

Many of the tables were filled. There were lots of couples there, some that looked as if they were long married and others as if they were on a date. Isn't that cute? Who thinks of old people as dating? I wonder if they…cripes…I can't believe I had that thought. Now I have the thought of wrinkly geezer sex permanently etched on my brain.

There were quite a few tables of 6-10 people. It was at one of these tables I found Mr. Pachucki. I thought I recognized some of the people sitting at his table, either from my childhood or as friends of Grandma's. I nicely approached the table and said, like I was surprised to see him, "Mr. Pachucki! How are you? Remember me? I'm Stephanie Plum. I went to high school with Annie." He looked up at me, seemingly happy to see me. "Oh yes, Stephanie. How are you, dear?" Before I could answer, someone interrupted us and said "You be careful of her, Stan. That's Edna's grand daughter you know. The one she's always bragging about." Aw, Grandma Mazur brags about me. I'll have to thank her next time I see her. "She's that bounty hunter that's always blowing things up." Yeesh! I turned to the woman and told her that it wasn't usually my fault and that people would somehow make things blow up when I was around them. Then I turned back to Mr. Pachucki, who was no longer sitting there. I looked around and saw his slight figure headed for the exit. Oh well, at least this is one guy I knew I can out run.

As I made a start to follow him, the old folks turned on me. First one women grabbed onto my flannel sleeve, holding me in place and said "Stephanie, you should be ashamed of yourself." which was followed by a chorus of "Yeah."s and "You tell her, Stella."s. It went downhill from there. I heard:

"Can't you leave an old man in peace?"

"What would your grandmother say if she could see you now?"

"What can you expect from someone with her morals. Sometimes she lives with that nice cop Joe Morelli, then she moves out and does God only knows what. I know her mother taught her better than that."

"Leave our Pachuck alone."

"Pick on someone your own age."

And then things got ugly. I told everyone I really just needed to talk to Mr. Pachucki about something and started walking toward his retreating figure. I stumbled and before I could apologize for my clumsiness I realized someone had stuck out their cane to trip me! I couldn't believe it. Of course this only made me more determined as I stubbornly headed for the door followed by shouts of "Run Stanley Run." and "We'll take care of her." And before I knew it my path was littered with discarded canes, walkers were pushed into me and I was getting interference from all sides. One unmanned walker hit me hard from behind. That's when I lost my balance and fell on the table of a couple having dinner. She was eating lobster sauté and he was eating pasta in a calamari sauce and now I was wearing it. As I made a mess of their dinner and myself I heard a cheer go up "We did it! We saved Stanley!" And sure enough, as I was finally able to get to my feet I could see the red monstrosity of a car pulling out of the parking lot. Apologizing to the couple I backed away from their table and headed out the door.

Which brings me to now and why I am contemplating my life. Here I am covered in lobster, melted butter, calamari rings and red gravy. I am driving myself home, all the windows wide open so my car doesn't smell like a seafood smorgasbord tomorrow. Sometimes I think Joe has a point about my job. When I get to my apartment I'm going to take a long, hot shower, get into a pair of sweats and do some damage to that pint of Chubby Hubby I've got sitting in my freezer. Then I'll retire to my bedroom to assume the thinking position.

The first thing I notice when I was into the apartment is that the red light on my answering machine is furiously blinking. I guess the grapevine's already notified my mother of my mishaps this afternoon. I'm just thankful all the calls came here and not to my cell. I might have answered by mistake. Hey, wait a minute. My cell hasn't rung all day. That's unusual. I dig through my bag and find it. Yup, I did it again. No battery. I roll my eyes and look back to the flashing red light of judgment. I'll deal with it later. Denial World, I'm coming back!

My first priority is to get in the shower. I'm so glad I always have hot water. Not only is it calming and soothing, but it will be necessary to get the butter from the lobster sauté washed off. The shower is also one of the places where I can really let myself go. And no, I don't mean in a shower massager sort of way. Although I have had a tough day and…no, no, no. That's not what I need right now. Want, yes. Need, no. I just want to let the water wash over me and let my mind go blank. That's one of the things I love about showers. I can lose all the chatter going on in my mind and let the problems of the day wash down the drain, even if only temporarily. I finally get out of the shower nice and relaxed. Eeeeek!!! As I am drying off with my favorite fluffy towel I spot something creepy on the bottom of my tub. Afraid to get too close to the gross things I apparently showered with, I crane my neck to look at them. Then I laugh at myself. Without its crunchy golden coating, calamari looks like slimy white rings of alien creatures. I stop laughing when I realize they must have been stuck in my hair.

I make my way to my bedroom, purposely avoiding my answering machine. I pull on my sweats and a soft tee shirt and sit down on my bed, shaking my head at my reflection in the mirror. I then throw myself back on the bed in a variation of my thinking position. The next thing I know there is a constant sound annoying me, waking me up. I guess I fell asleep. I roll over and look at the clock. That's when I recognize the sound. It is someone knocking on my door. What the hell? It's not even five in the morning yet. Why can't whoever is knocking away just break in like everyone else? I finally get up, stumble to the door and look out my peep hole.

All I see is the top of Joe Morelli's head.


	9. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

Joe is still looking down at his shoes when I open the door. "Joe?!"

Joe continued looking at his shoes, shaking his head, saying "I'm sorry, Stephanie. I know you want me to leave you alone, but I just couldn't go home to an empty house. Not tonight, not after the day I've had." Joe raised his eyes to me then. In them I could see pain, apology, affection. "I need to be with my best friend."

"Joe, what are you talking about? What's wrong? Are you ok?" I fired the questions at Joe without even giving him a chance to reply.

At these questions his look changed to one of disbelief. "You don't know?"

"Look, Joe, you're really beginning to scare me. What's wrong?" I could hear the fear, the hysteria creeping into my voice.

Joe's eyes cut over to my answering machine, where he took in the rapidly flashing light. He closed his eyes and ran his hand down over his face. "Jesus, Cupcake. I thought you just didn't care."

'_Joe…"_

"I'm ok, Steph. It's Tony. It's was such a beautiful day after that week of rain we had that Tony asked if he could borrow the Ducati and go for a ride. There was an accident"

"Is he alright?"

"Yes. No. I don't know. It's pretty bad, Steph. He was in surgery for five hours. The doctors said they were able to do a lot of repair work, but he hasn't woken up yet. They're hoping the coma is temporary but it's too soon to tell."

I was speechless. All I could get out was "Oh, Joe…" as I went to him to give him a hug. "How are you doing?"

Joe wasn't hugging me back. He was holding onto me for dear life. "I don't know. I'm scared. I'm angry at myself. I'm angry at the son of bitch that hit him."

"Joe, come in. Sit down. Do they know what happened?"

"Yeah. It was a kid, only had his license for 5 months. He was talking on a cell phone and blew through a red light."

"Oh, God, Joe. That's just so senseless…" Joe just nodded his head in agreement.

"Like I said, Cupcake, I'm sorry to come here when I know you don't want to see me. I just didn't know what else to do."

"Of course it's ok that you came here, Joe. It isn't like you're here for a booty call? Are you?"

Morelli gave me that wicked grin that always turned my legs to jello and warmed my doodah. "And if I am…?"

At my exaggerated eye roll he continued "Actually Steph, even if we wanted to I don't think I could. Between emotional and physical exhaustion I don't think I've got it in me." When my eyebrows shot up Joe told me "And I will deny I said that if you ever tell anyone!"

"Go to bed, Morelli! I'll be there in a minute. And no funny stuff, you!"

"I promise, Cupcake. And if I'm not up by 9:00 will you wake me up?"

"Joe, that's less than fours away. You need more sleep than that."

"Yeah, I know. But I think they'll want me at the hospital. That's probably what time Grandma Bella will be arriving."

"Oh. OK. Gotcha. Nine o'clock it is."

As Joe went into my room I headed into the kitchen to set up the coffee maker for the morning. It really doesn't need to be done right this minute, but the idea of watching Morelli stripping down to his boxer briefs and then sliding between my sheets is a little more than I want see and deal with right now.

OK, he's had enough time to get settled in. Great, he's already asleep. There's one bullet dodged. Taking a deep breath I get into bed, hoping I'd be able to get back to sleep.


	10. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

I must have been able to get back to sleep, because I was now waking up beside Morelli. For a change it was me that was spooning him. He was a little lower in the bed than I was, so that my head was just above his. My arm was wrapped around him. I sleepily thought of how many mornings I had woke in the reverse position with Joe. It was always comforting having his arms around me, as if he were protecting me from the outside world. Of course, Mr. Happy also often made an appearance during those wake up calls, but I digress. Hoping that Joe got some of the same comfort sleeping in my arms that I have received in his, I gave him a quick peck on the head and got up to face the day.

First things first: I turned on the coffee maker. While the coffee was brewing I began listening to my messages. There were only 28 new ones to listen to. Ugh! The first few messages were from various friends and family members; my mother wondering where I was, my Grandma looking for a ride, Valerie called so I could hear Lisa say "Momma" and so on. Lula called just to check in. Connie called saying she knew Lula had already called but she was calling again "just so I can get that primate of a cousin of yours off my back!" Good job Connie, call made. One message made me smile. It was a simple "Yo."

The next few calls were from my mother and I could hear the tension in her voice increase with each message. "Stephanie, please call me right away. It's really important." There were similar messages from friends. I was glad I hadn't listened to these last night. They would have really freaked me out, not knowing what was going on. My coffeemaker beeped that my morning brew of life was ready and I decided the rest of the messages could wait.

As I stood gulping down my elixir of life Morelli came out of my bedroom. While he still looked pretty exhausted he also looked incredibly sexy. He'd pulled his jeans on and put on his shirt. If only he'd buttoned his shirt or put on his shoes and socks. I don't know what it is about Morelli in bare feet in my apartment that turns me on, but it does. Maybe not wearing shoes makes him look comfortable, like he belongs here. I turned to pour him a cup of joe, just to help me get my eyes off of him. After all, this really wasn't the time to be letting my hormones run amuck.

"Thanks, Cupcake." as he accepted the cup of coffee.

"How'd you sleep, Joe?"

"As well as can be expected. Thanks for letting me crash here, Steph. I really didn't want to be alone." Looking over his cup he continued "And you're the only one I wanted to be with."

I gave Joe a tight smile, not knowing what to say.

"Sorry. I'm overtired. I'm out of my mind about Tony. And I'm having a hard time editing what I say to you. Look Cupcake, you know I love you. You know I want to be with you and no one else. And I know you're not ready to hear that from me just yet and that you don't want to deal with our relationship. I've been trying hard to give you your space..."

I softly interrupted "Joe, you've been doing great giving me my space. I really appreciate it."

"So."

"So."

After that bit of uncomfortable almost silence I couldn't believe the next words that popped out of his mouth: "Want to go to the hospital with me today?"

"Joe, I'm not sure that's such a good idea."

"Me either. But it might help keep me sane around my mother and grandmother." Then he looked at me with such affection and smiled at me like I was the only other person in the world. "Who would've thought that I'd be looking to you to keep me from going crazy when you're usually the one driving the express to crazyville."

Even though I gave him my best 'Burg eye roll, I couldn't help the chuckle that slipped out. Then I realized the gravity of the situation. "Really Joe, I don't think …"

"I'll protect you from Grandma Bella _and_ I'll spring for Pino's for dinner."

Crap. I hadn't had Pino's for a couple of weeks. Between being low on cash and the guys at Rangeman including me in their dinner plans Pino's had been conspicuously absent from my diet. "That's playing dirty, Morelli."

"You know me. The dirtier the better." And there was that smile again.

"Why don't you go over to the hospital and give me a call from there. Maybe there will be things going on that will need your attention and I'll just be in your way."

"First, Stephanie, get this straight. You will never be in my way. Second, if I leave here without you I know you'll never make it to the hospital."

Rats. I should have known he wouldn't fall for that. So I just gave in. "OK. I'll go with you. But if Grandma Bella starts giving me the eye I am out of there."

Kissing me on the forehead, "Thanks. And I'll protect you from the eye."

"I'll need to take a quick shower first. How about you?" At the teasing smile I rolled my eyes, again, and said, "No, that isn't an invitation."

When I got out of the shower Joe was on his phone with Gazarra. The guys at the station were all wondering about Tony and he was filling them in. I overheard him say that he just spoke with the hospital and there had been no change in Tony's condition. After he finished his call he went to take a quick shower. I called my mother to let her know Joe had told me what was going on and that I was going to spend the day at the hospital with him. I'm sure that left my mother wondering and hopeful. Next I called Ranger.

"Yo."

"Yo, yourself."

"Babe. How's Morelli's brother?"

"Oh my God. How do you know that already. Never mind. Don't answer. They still don't know yet. Physically they did some repair work but he is still in a coma."

"Are you ok? Do you need anything?"

"Thanks, Ranger. I'm OK."

"Tell Morelli Rangeman is pulling for his brother.", and then he was gone, hung up, as usual, with no warning. Yeesh!

Joe came out of the bathroom, freshened up. "That was Ranger. He said to tell you they're all pulling for Tony."

Joe looked at me incredulously and shook his head, as if to clear it, and said "Ready?"

I nodded my head, picked up my jacket and we headed for the door.


End file.
